Lead Me To Trouble
by shiftgiggles
Summary: Gajeel loved trouble. It was his middle name. He sought out trouble and trouble came in the form of a happy-go-lucky girl that had a propensity to attract it. So maybe it was the reason that he followed her or maybe it's why they tend to cross paths. Possible Spoilers from 417 and onward. Trigger warnings and Vitamin C.
1. Chapter 1

**Attention: Fairy Tail Has Been Disbanded Until Further Notice**

It was an announcement that would change her life. When Levy first heard the news, she wasn't as devastated as she thought she should be. In fact, she was both relieved and (dare she say it?) thrilled. Absolutely thrilled.

Like most of her fellow orphans that she had grown up with in the guild, Fairy Tail had taken up the entirety of her life. But with her 18th birthday looming ahead, it was simply time to leave the nest, grow up, and put aside childish feelings. This included any and all unreciprocated girly crushes for the iron dragon slayer.

The catalyst for her decision was the ensuing GMG and the Eclipse Gate incidents. Her participation was limited to standing by the sidelines or sent away for her protection. Fellow mates still saw her as that helpless girl bolted into a tree in the middle of Magnolia Park. Collateral damage in the war with Phantom Lord.

Jet and Droy were allowed to move past the Phantom Lord War except for her. And if she had to be honest with herself, she unintentionally became Fairy Tail's beloved mascot. Tired with her image, Levy was more than willing to shatter status quo and any perceptions of her aside from proper mage. The only problem was that she wasn't sure on how to go about it until the Tartarus incident.

What many people had considered as a setback, Levy saw an opportunity. With the previous Council decimated, she knew the Council had to be rebuilt from the ground up. Levy also knew that Makarov, a wizard saint, would somehow be involved in its reconstruction.

All she had to do was find Makarov. 'Simple, right?' After all, the Master had left a vague note. Enough to hinge her future on,' she thought sarcastically. But she approached it with her cheerful optimism. The path was clear for her to pursue this and it's not like she had anything better to do.

In the end, it took her three weeks to track Makarov down. Makarov was surprised to find her in his offices at Era and even more surprised at the fact that she had asked for a job. At first, Makarov did everything he could to dissuade her and it only served to strengthen her resolve.

"I want to be part of the Council," she demanded. The girl in front of him looked like a child, but the determined set in her eyes reflected intelligence and stubbornness. It reminded Makarov that this was the same woman had pinpointed the location of the cube from one question.

"Council work is dirty, Levy. You need to go home," he countered, gauging her reaction. A father's job was never done. There was no doubt that she would make a great asset to his team. But sitting on the Council was a serious undertaking and the learning curve was steep. There was no room for self-doubt and insecurities. To become part of the Council, one had to have mental toughness, tenacity, and grit. He knew that Levy faltered on some of these points, but only because of immaturity.

She was taken aback, Makarov rarely told her no. He had always been the one to encourage her in the pursuit of knowledge and he fostered her love of books. Makarov had always defended her to her well-intentioned guild mates. The ones who always insisted on physical strength over mental prowess (ahem, Laxus). And the ones who were unknowingly dismissive of her abilities (ahem, Erza and Gajeel).

Defeated, she began to walk away, figurative tail between her legs. Makarov was empathetic towards her plight; however, the Council was not a place that would allow him to watch over her. "Come back when you're ready," he called.

Levy stopped in her tracks, understanding Makarov's intentions. "I know you can't watch over me," she began. "I am ready. When do I start?"

Makarov chuckled, glad that she read between the lines. "Go home and get your affairs in order. Then report for training in two weeks."

* * *

Telling her boys was the hardest part of this whole journey. The team had agreed to take a break, each of them going on different paths. Next, she broke the news to the rest of girls from Fairy Hills and finally, her best friend, Lucy. It was one of the most emotional days of her life. She had never cried so much.

She was glad that her departure was abrupt, leaving the day after the announcement for training in Era. Lucy had sent her letters after she left. Levy can only imagine how Lucy might have felt to watch the members of her beloved guild move away one by one.

Putting her worries aside, Levy was enjoying her new job and she found that she was rather good at it. She was relishing the anonymity. Among the cadets, she was just another face in the crowd. Levy had never felt so free, especially since there was no reputation to tether her to a label. Before she knew it, her training was coming to a close. She pushed forward, making it to the top of her class, and gained a few admirers and respect in the process.

Infiltration and intelligence was her specialty and her knack for making quick friends worked for her, against her, and sometimes both. As a former Fairy Tail team leader, she found that she can form teams with natural ease. She was good at this, but she found that she had to create definite boundaries for herself by creating aliases.

So Levy learned to create the pseudo identity of 'Gabrielle' for herself, portraying a lost and indecisive soul wandering from guild to guild in search of a more permanent and meaningful membership. While the name was inspired by Gajeel, Levy had based the identity on Juvia.

Being Gabrielle allowed her to move between guilds without raising suspicions. She found a group of people who were as indecisive as 'Gabrielle' and wandered from guild to guild as her character. These individual became her informants, working as her eyes and ears.

* * *

Three months after joining the council, she was assigned to gain access into Cincuenta Sharone, a large dark guild operating as a light guild. It had guild halls in every major towns in Fiore as well as branches in Bosco and Stella. On the surface, Cincuenta Sharone was an exemplary guild. The dark syndicate even created a charity that helped indigent women and orphaned children in every town that Cincuenta Sharone had a presence.

Nothing about the guild seemed to be amiss and Levy was more than glad to finish the assignment. Being in the guild was creeping her out. Upper members have singled her out to be among a select group of girls to act as ambassadors of the guild. The woman were young like herself and impressionable as 'Gabrielle'. Each ambassador was required to wear revealing clothing and attend the lavish parties every night. In turn, the women were compelled to entertain guild "sponsors", all in the name of soliciting funds for charity.

Levy wasn't sure if the other woman were aware or if they chose ignorant bliss. Most of the woman came from troubled backgrounds and lacked closed relationships outside of the Ambassador Program.

She had one more day before she would report her findings to the council when she was approached by Haruhi, the Guild's second in command.

Haruhi was an attractive woman in her early twenties who ran the charitable operations of Cincuenta Sharone and its Ambassador Program for the past two years.

Physically, Haruhi and Levy could pass as sisters. Haruhi's hair was a darker shade of blue, but they were similar in height and eye color. The resemblance to one another was shocking.

Haruhi had a strong personality comparable to Evergreen and Erza while Levy was laidback and easygoing. And unlike Erza and Evergreen, Haruhi was prone to temper tantrums. She was cruel. The other girls were afraid of her and some have identified her as a bully.

Levy reminded Haruhi of her older sister. She had revealed to Levy that the ambassador group was really a front to traffic troubled young women into the sex trade. It utilized charities to launder money and supply the ambassador group with vulnerable women. The funded orphanages supplied children to its affluent, pedophilic clientele.

Apparently, Levy was the next girl on the auction block since only auctioned off a few people at a time in order to not draw attention to its illicit activities. There was a premium on her head because she was presumably a virgin and looked under the age of eighteen.

Levy's suspicions were confirmed. The guild was grooming young female recruits into submissiveness. After a woman was "broken in", the recruit was shipped off to a holding location to verify purity and auctioned off to the highest bidder. Levy was horrified to learn that there was also a premium on virgins and girls under the age of eighteen. It made her stomach churn in disgust.

According to Haruhi, the auction was to take place in two weeks. Haruhi's role was to make sure the girl would stay around long enough to be shipped off to the auction house. For the past few weeks, Haruhi was working to find the exact location of the auction house, since the location was on a need-to-know basis. Hours after exposing Cincuenta Sharone, Haruhi disappeared. Her remains were discovered years later not far from Headquarters.

Haruhi's death spurned Levy into action. Determined to bring the Cincuenta Sharone into justice. She reported her findings to the council and came up with a strategy to expose the true nature of Cincuenta Sharone.

The first part of her plan was to let herself get kidnapped and sold as sex slave as planned. A counsel person acting as a handler would be placed in the auction house. Captain LaCreed had

The Council could not afford a mistake. One false move and the case against Cincuenta Sharone would result in a mistrial, allowing the dark guild to move its operations overseas.

Nervous, Levy worked up the courage to go through with the plan. After all, this was for the greater good. Lives and reputations were at stake if she were to fail. Like with every situation that she was uncomfortable in, Levy made a mental checklist:

There'll be a support team to provide back up.

 _I have to stop this horrible guild from using these girls as sex slaves._

 _I have to succeed. I need to win._

 _I can't let these girls down_.

She kept going over the mantra well into the next day, trying desperately to calm her nerves as she boarded the train to Margaret. Levy was engrossed that she almost missed her name being called.

"LLLLEEEEVVVYYY!"

Snapping out of her little reverie, she turned in the direction of the voice that was calling her name, breaking out into her widest smile when she recognized the voice.

"LLLLIIIIILLLYYYY!"

* * *

A/N: Hello Readers! Thanks for stopping by. I wrote the first chapter of this story before sometime after Chapter 429. So it may/may not necessarily flow with the arc. That being said, this story will adjust slightly. Still an AU nonetheless.


	2. Chapter 2

He was flying when he caught the sight of her ribbon-bound, sky blue locks from the air. There were many girls with blue hair, but he had a strong suspicion that the huddled form clutching the book would be her. There was only one way to find out.

"LEVY!" The girl didn't respond to her name. She seemed distracted. He hovered slightly above the throng of people before he called out to her again.

"LEVY!" This time, the girl seemed snapped out of her thoughts and turned towards the sound of her name. Her eyes dialated in recognition; mouth curling towards a sunny smile.

"LLLEEEVVVYY!" He flew towards her outstretched arms, crashing into her warm embrace. Out of all the bluenettes in the guild, Pantherlily had liked her the best. Juvia was overly emotional, although she was Gajeel's best friend. Wendy was a sweet girl, but he couldn't help but lumped her in with her high maintainenance exceed, Carla. At all the times he found at the guild, Levy was the most accepting. It was no wonder why she was the guild's heart and she reminded him of the young Prince of Edolas that he helped to raise. They might have not be related, but the resemblance was uncanny.

"LLLIIILLLY!" Levy squealed, pressing her soft girlish cheeks against his.

When she was with him, he acted as a cat. Levy was among the few that he allowed to treat him as a cat. They walked towards his partner, chatting about the past few months until they reached the dragon slayer retching into the nearest trash bin.

"We are on a layover for Akane Town," he explained. Gajeel turned around and found his best friend in her arms.

"Levy!" He exclaimed, surprised to see her there. She handed him a napkin and gave him her trademark sunny smile.

"How are you, Gajeel?"

"FUCK TRAINS!"

The exceed soldier flew from her arms to sit on the Slayer's shoulders, watching his two favorite people interact. They weren't as dense as Mira thought they were. Levy's crush on Gajeel was one of the guild's worst kept secrets. They both knew of Levy's feelings for him, but it was left unspoken. Gajeel cared for her, but was unwilling to take that step. She, on the other hand, wanted to continue forward regardless if her feelings were returned.

 _'Smart girl'_ Lily thought. He thought they made progress during Tartarus and the two seemed closer than ever. So he was surprised that the charismatic bluenette didn't follow them after the guild disbanded. She was among the first to leave and unable to divulge the identity her employer due to the nature of the job.

They spent the entire layover talking until they announced boarding for Levy's destination, Clover Town.

"That's me." She stood at her tiptoes to pat Lily's head and patted Gajeel on the cheek. Gajeel moved to ruffle her hair, but missed when she bent over to grab the bags by her feet.

"Take care, Lily. Goodbye, Gajeel."

He gave her a half wave, trying to force himself to move, but he his feet was planted on the floor. Fortunately, Lily spoke for both of them.

"Levy, won't you reconsider my offer to join us in Akane town?"

Levy turned back around. As much as she would like to have followed, the lives of women and children were at stake. In less than three days, she was to be sold into slavery so she can infiltrate the operations. She gave them a wistful smile. "I'm sorry, but I got work. If I don't see you guys again, Lily, make sure you keep the big lug out of trouble! Try to lead good lives."

He watched her walk away, a heavy feeling sinking into his heart. It never occurred to him that they might never see each other again. He was hoping that the little genius would be wrong for once. Deep down, he knew that she was rarely wrong.


	3. Chapter 3

*****TRIGGERS AHEAD*****

The road to train station felt like a pathway to his execution, but Gajeel shook it off. He'd welcome death over trains any day except today. The road to train station felt like a pathway to his execution, but Gajeel shook it off. He'd welcome death over trains any day except today. Today, he had a job to do.

He was glad to have his partner, Pantherlily, with him. Most of his nakama had to face the world alone. He'd been down that road one too many times. Without Lily, he certainly wouldn't be employed because he lacked patience and people skills. Lily and Shorty were the ones handle the client, even though Levy was the better negotiator when it comes to payment.

Speaking of, he was surprised that Levy didn't follow him. After what they had gone through during Tartarus, he had thought they had shared something meaningful.

After the guild disbanded, he spent the first month doing security detail and escort jobs. His clients trusted him and recommended him to their friends, enough for him to get repeat business. It kept him extra busy, booked solid for the next month. He was glad that he and Lily were able to take furlough in Akane.

Business was good, but, lately, his jobs were delving into a gray area particularly with the client he was escorting today, Apollo Casper.

Apollo Casper was a high profile client. Gajeel liked him because he was not an elitist. Casper came from wealthy family of nobility, but was a successful businessman in his own right. As a driven man, he never stopped to have a life outside of his business until he approached the age of fifty. He was balding and rotund. The man had a penchant for young girls because he intended to marry and start a family.

At first, Gajeel would escort him to dates. Casper's date were not much older than Gajeel and they were ideal women on the surface: gorgeous, educated, and wealthy. Some of them were superficial and shallow. For the most part, they were nice, naïve, and lacking in real world experience. They might have been bland, but any man would have found himself lucky to find himself attached to a trophy. Casper, found them boring and Gajeel had to ask why.

"Gajeel, society women are boring. I know it's wrong, but I'm starting to compare some of them to an obedient dog; a docile and obedient dog. I can barely carry a conversation with most of them," his voice dripping with disdain. Casper gave him a mischievous grin. "I am surprised that you turned down the ones that run to you for comfort after I reject them."

Gajeel smirked in reply, not missing Casper's insinuation. It wasn't unusual for Casper's rejects to come to him for comfort and to share his bed. The previous night, a gorgeous redhead had shown up in his hotel room wearing only in a trench coat and expensive lingerie. Gajeel turned her and so many of these women away that even he had to question his sexuality.

The lack of options led Casper to frequent an auction house in Clover Town. The auction house was a historic manor that straddled a commercial district and an entertainment corridor. By day, it was a respectable place, selling fancy wares and expensive furniture. At night, it operated as a gathering place for the elite and a think tank by society intellects. In the basement and by special invitation, young women were being auctioned off under the presumption of marriage.

Alarm bells went off in Gajeel's head during the first visit, but he did nothing. Casper had reassured him that the women were there by their own volition. The girls paraded around in their underwear in a soundproof, glass enclosure. Private booths surrounded the enclosure on all sides, allowing the bidder anonymity.

Gajeel hated the place anyway. The place was classy and refined, but it was no different from the seedy and dirty bars that he frequented. The few times he was here, Gajeel started to question his life's direction, certain that this was not what Granny had in mind when told him to live a life with meaning.

This night, the place had a different energy. The girls on the stage seemed drugged. Normally, the underdressed girl would touch herself and pose seductively to entice bids. Tonight, each item up for bid would stand there with vacuous looks in their eyes doing nothing. The pretense of the place was beginning to wear off.

 _'Fuck this!'_

He had sat through four auctions. Only one girl left before Gajeel had decided that he had endured enough. After tonight, he was going to drop Casper as a client and never set foot in this place again. Tomorrow morning, he resolved to inform the Magic Council of the auction house illegal activities. Getting ready to high tail it out of there, he caught a familiar scent. One of old leather, white flowers, and sunshine.

"Is that…? It can't be."

 _"Last item up for bid. This is rare. A young girl, approximate age of 11-14 years old. Certified virgin."_

Lily grew alarmed, "Gajeel, this doesn't seem on the up and up anymore". Gajeel didn't respond, his eyes not leaving the stage. Something felt off.

This next girl they led out, staggered in heels that were too high and clothing that left nothing to the imagination. Her head covered with a silken cloth, but he could tell that she was drugged out like the others before her.

He had to admit that this one was a pretty little thing. It felt so wrong, but Gajeel couldn't tear his eyes away from her petite waist that tapered into her plump behind. Her breast was a perfect size, just how he liked it – not too big and not too small. The sight of her beautiful body caused a lewd shift in his groin area.

 _"We'll start the bidding at 25,000 jewel."_

Gajeel was not one to pray to any deity, but he prayed to Mavis that he was wrong. Despite the intoxication, she carried herself with poise, a posture that was so familiar to him that it made him nervous. Slowly, the girl twirled around the pole, more clumsy than seductive. If anything, she seemed to be trying steady herself, noting how her head listed from side to side.

"Pssst. Gajeel. Do you think that's..?" Lily's mouth agape, face frozen in horror. Before Gajeel could respond, a single blue lock escaped from the sack that covered her face.

 _"50,000 jewel."_

Gajeel stared wide-eyed at his partner, realization setting in before a man undid the clasp that held her bra together. The bra fell by her feet and slid off the stage. On instinct, she moved to cover her bare chest, but she was unstable on her feet and gripped the pole tighter.

 _"75,000 Jewel."_

 _"80,000"_

 _"I have 95,000"_

There was an all out bidding war now and to elicit more bids, the same man came behind her to remove the sack off her head.

'This is it,' He thought. This would confirm if his suspicions were correct. Continuing to silently pray to Mavis, knowing that when it came to things of this nature, he was ever seldom

Levy really wished she had taken up that Lily's offer to Akane Town, but she felt compelled to carry out this mission. She was due to arrive at the auction house in a few days, and her task list was getting longer and longer.

First, she met with the handlers at the council dormitory/headquarters to go over strategies. The meeting that should have taken an hour at the most ended up taking four.

After a heated debate, the task force agreed to her plan. Intel had told her that it took months to indoctrinate each victim and groom her for a life of slavehood. She would have a few handlers on the inside and the client that would "buy" her would be fellow council agent. For the most part she would work alone, feeling that it would add to the authenticity to her mission.

Second, she met with Lt Yoshi LaCreed from the Enforcement Division. She had met him on several occasions, but never worked with him. The Enforcement Division would monitor progress and ensure that the Council had collected enough evidence to bring a case to court. The Division would also provide backup in case things were to go south.

Levy had met Lt. Yoshi LaCreed a handful of times. Gray hair peppered his temple, but he had a well-chiseled physique. For a middle aged man, he definitely took care of himself.

"Ms. Levy, Nice to see you again," Captain LaCreed grasped her hand, giving it a hearty shake. He was a high ranking officer, but Captain LaCreed was going to act as her handler himself. The captain was an exceptional mage and Levy felt assured that she can put her life safely into his capable hands. All there was to do was to set the plan in motion.

Levy arrived at the auction house passed midnight. The manor was located between two corridors off the main drag. At ground level, the manor was exquisite and breathtaking, everything that was expected of a nobleman's property.

She was shoved towards a dank basement. Bleach and piss assaulted her nose as she was led down some steps and into a small closet-sized room. Judging from her proximity, there seemed to be several little rooms such as the one she was held in, not sure if they were filled with woman. The adrenaline of being capture wore off and she fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

 **A/N** : Thank you for your kind comments and PM's. I enjoy reading them. Please forgive any typos that I might of missed. I threw in a little bit 'Taken' in there for fun.

BTW: I am loving Council Gajevy. In this AU, I have it where it is Gajeel that follows Levy. It's probably opposite in the Manga (we'll never fully knew as of right now), but have you noticed that there are very few woman in the council with the exception of Ultear and Granny Belno? As of issue 432, there are no female Wizard Saints. A majority of the strong female wizards in the FT Universe have a tragic backstory or they're usually the villain -and I think it's some plot device to emphasize their strength, I'm sure. It's nice to see at least one (there's probably a handful) well-adjusted strong female wizard that's neither of those things. Right? (Famous last words) Regardless of who followed who (I still think it's Levy's idea), it takes some serious chops to be in the Council and to be a female... so **GO LEVY!**


	4. Chapter 4

She woke up in a strange room, unsure of how long she had slept and unsure of the time. The room was dark saved for small, lighted corner near the exit. Looking down along her body, Levy could see that she was no longer wearing her dress. In its stead was a sheer, lacy bra and panty set decorated with semi-precious gem stones was in its place.

Never had she felt so violated.

Levy had done her very best to research and to scrutinize every possible outcome to avoid situations like this one. The realization of her naivete set in as she laid shackled like an animal, stripped of all modesty and dignity. In that moment, she appreciated the sheltered life she had led. Mustering up her resolve, she vowed to put an end to this injustice even at the expense of her dignity and modesty. Yet, this situation was so far out of her comfort zone and level of expertise that Levy knew that she would have to improvise.

The doors unlatched and a guard, whom Levy has recognized as LaCreed, entered the room with a tray. LaCreed gave her a subtle wink, letting her know that he was posing as a handler. She was at least relieved that one aspect of her plan had followed through. Bending over to her, he grabbed her by the chin to force her mouth open before LaCreed took two one inch pills and shoved into her mouth. On reflex, she began to involuntary gag and choke.

LaCreed whispered in her ear, "Relax. Breathe through your nose. Take it. This is the lowest dosage I could find. If you spit it back up, someone else will come in and give you a stronger one." He gave her jaw a vigorous shake until the pills slid down her throat. When she swallowed, he chased the pills with water.

The drugs took effect a lot faster than she anticipated since she hadn't eaten anything for at least a day. Noticing this, he shoved a piece of bread in her mouth before covering her head with sack. He proceeded to explain to her that the room was a stage. The small, octogon-shaped room was lined with two-way mirrors, allowing bidders anonymity. A broken intercom allowed the "dancer" to listen to the bids as it rolled in.

A woman's voice was the one to announce her. The thick Boscan accent stirring up the nervousness that she was failing to suppress with her clouded mind. "Last item up for bid. This is rare. A young girl, approximate age of 11-14 years old. A certified virgin."

Leading Levy to the stage area, LaCreed worked quickly to remove the bindings and placed her hands around a pole so she could steady herself. "Are you ready?"

"Mmm," she replied, relinquishing control of the situation, not by choice. LaCreed retreated off the stage but not before giving her some reassurance. "I'll be nearby. Try to look convincing," he hissed in desperation.

 _"The bidding will start at 25,000 jewel."_ The voice announced as the auction began.

"25,000 jewel."

Thanks to the drugs, Levy didn't really need to give a performance. Using the pole as support, she struggled to stay upright. She stumbled around the pole; her languid movements were unintentionally seductive. To the audience, it looked like a performance. Midway into her dance, she felt someone unfastened the clasps of her bra. The bra fell somewhere by her feet and her bare nipples hardened from the sudden exposure of cold air.

 _"50,000 jewel."_

Levy tried to cover her nakedness, but it was in futile. Her head spun and she was unwilling to let go of the pole that kept her steady. It was either let go of the poll or cover herself.

 _"75,000 jewel."_

 _"80,000"_

 _"I have 95,000"_

But it wasn't until the sack was removed from her head that she caught sight of her reflection.

 _"110,000 jewel."_

 _"135."_

The grown woman that stared back at her was beautiful. The usual headband was gone, replaced by manicured waves pinned back an elegant hairclip. She wore false lashes, but the eye makeup emphasized her large hazel eyes. _'This is what I look like all grown up,'_ she thought to herself wryly. Ironic considering that she was marketed as a young teenage girl.

 _"155,000 Jewel. Do I hear 160,000 Jewel?"_

 _"You sir? We have 215,000 Jewel. Do I hear 220?"_

She was about to be sold into slavery, but at least she looked beautiful. Whoever applied her makeup had done a phenomenal job. It was so esoteric to the situation that Levy couldn't help but laugh. She inwardly groaned, she must have looked like a happy drunk. A happy, consensual drunk.

 _"225."_

 _"230."_

 _"335."_

Her laughter brought someone out of the corner of the room. From the corner of her eye, she saw him make his way over to her. Captain LaCreed was gone and Levy stopped laughing. This man was half a foot taller than Gajeel, easily towering over her and LaCreed. The dark, lecherous gleam in his eye sickened Levy to her very core. She gagged, the man reeked of stale smoke and body odor, like he hadn't bathe in weeks. He started to hook his meaty fingers into the waistband of her panties.

"NO! STOP" she gasped, shaking her head and grabbing his hands to stop him.

 _"550,000 jewel. Gentlemen, this is unprecedented."_

"It's what the buyers want, baby girl, s'not up to me." A sneer from his lips as his rough hands continued to slide her panties down her hips. The man was not as tall as Gajeel, but still towered over the helpless girl.

 _"600."_

 _"660."_

She felt dirty, knowing her body would no longer be her own. With LaCreed missing, Levy felt helpless and abandoned.

 _"675."_

 _"680."_

Levy managed to push him away a few times, but he came at her time and time again. He managed to rip through the lace on the sides in his last attempt. As he came back, an iron club broke through the mirror and knocked the man to the other side of the room where the handler was tied up. Shards of flying glass showered the small enclosure. She was free to escape, but was too stunned to move. The drugs shackling her both physically and mentally.

The world that slowed to a crawl came speeding up again. Lily flew in through the opening with his small form accompanied by a dragon slayer she saw only a few days ago.

"SHRIMP!" he bellowed, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YA DOIN'?" Before she had a chance to respond, he threw his cloak over her naked form, hoisted her over his shoulder, and ran out the door.

* * *

A/N: Please excuse any errors as English isn't my first language.


	5. Chapter 5

Bid on her," he growled.

Casper shook his head vehemently, "Gajeel, no!" He was watching on with the same horror. "I don't think this is consensual anymore. This is reprehensible! We should leave immediately!"

Casper made to stand up, but Gajeel turned his arm into a sword and pressed it towards his face. "Bid on her," he threatened again. The cold steel blade pressed against his face was convincing and Casper had no choice but to comply. With shaking fingers, he hit the bid button at Gajeel's request.

"110,000 Jewel."

During the momentary distraction, a bidding war had broken out. Within a span of a few minutes, the bid had more than quadrupled. 'Dammit'. The bid was now the same price as his security job with Casper. Not that Casper will pay, noting how Casper's face had gone ashen.

"135." Someone had countered his bid and it was Gajeel pressing the button this time. "Sorry about this. But this girl's my nakama. One of my closest friends," he apologized, attempting to explain himself.

"155,000 Jewel. Do I hear 160,000 Jewel?"

"You sir? We have 215,000 Jewel. Do I hear 220?"

Gajeel didn't even have a chance to place a bid. No longer paying attention to the client, he turned his arm back to normal so he can focus on not letting her down. She looked so helpless and vulnerable, yet he couldn't help but admire her appearance. The makeup was heavy but it brought out her beautiful hazel eyes and full lips. Two of his favorite features. He liked that she didn't wear too much makeup on an everyday basis. Gajeel pushed away his thought. Attractive as she may be, it was esoteric to the situation at hand.

"225."

"230."

Levy continued to twirl around the pole. Her languid movements stirring up the deep seated desire he had held back for so long. Sky blue curls caressed her shoulders as she threw her head in laughter. She seemed so wild and carefree that he started to second guess himself. 'Maybe she wanted to be here.'

"335." Lily echoed his thoughts as he slowed down his bidding. "We have no say in what Levy decides to do, Gajeel. Maybe we should let her be." Any protest died on his lips with no choice but to agree with Lily. Levy was a grown woman with every right to choose this path. Still, something in his gut told him that this was something that was not by her own volition. Despite his reluctance, he stopped bidding.

"375."

He cringed as the bids rose higher and higher until the price point was no longer within reach. Gajeel still couldn't help but feel that he let her down. Levy always brought out his protective side. He held no claim over her, but he was ready to step in if something was amiss. As soon as this was over, he was going to stalk the winner back to his home and beat the shit out of him.

"550,000 jewel. Gentlemen, this is unprecedented."

Her carefree laughter drew a man from out from the corner of the room. Gajeel could feel himself growing tense. 'Does she know this guy?' By his estimates, the man was taller than he was, but not as tall as Lily in his full form. As he approached, he gave her a lecherous grin. Gajeel's keen dragon eyes studied the man to see if Levy recognized the man approaching her.

All he needed was one reason to step in.

At the rate things were going, he might get his wish. The stranger first undid her bra. When she finally noticed a good five minutes later, she was unsure if she should cover her breast or hold onto the pole to keep steady. She stood in a stupor until she decided to hold onto the pole.

The veins in Gajeel's began to throb. Everything about this man repulsed him. His keen eyesight scrutinized every detail. He noted everything from his smoke-stained teeth down to his dirty fingernails. This man must have not bathed or washed his clothing for weeks. On top of all that, cigarette burns, food and protein stains covered the entirety of his clothing. From his position, he could see Levy reeling in disgust.

Still unaware of her surroundings, the man approached again. This time he hooked his fingers into the waistband of her panties to remove them. Gajeel watched as she grabbed the man's hands to stop him, completely helpless. Judging by her body language, he could sense that Levy did not know her attacker. Her eyes were wide with fear, lips mouthing the word "no" was reason enough for him to intervene. Meanwhile, Lily resumed bidding.

"600."

"660."

Lily panicked, jamming the button in desperation. "Gajeel! Our bids aren't going out fast enough!" Meanwhile, Gajeel was pacing in front of the booth, unsure of his next move. With each touch, this stranger left dirty hand prints and finger smudges against Levy's pristine skin.

"675."

"680."

Levy fended the man off twice, but the man was relentless. He came at her again. This time he succeeded in his quest, ripping her lacy panties off to reveal her perfect ass. Gajeel was livid. His instinct took over, turning his arm into an iron club to smash through the thick glass. A few more punches and the club broke through, right into the head of her potential attacker.

"SHRIMP! WHAT THE HELL ARE YA DOIN'?"

Levy, a wizards of words, had no words. When Gajeel had broken through the glass, she cowered on the stage. Arms raised to cover her head. There were still shards of glass in her hair and she was completely naked. Gajeel and Levy stood frozen place, staring at each other for what seemed like hours. Gajeel made the first move by throwing his cloak over her and hoisting her over his shoulder. He enlarged the hole he entered through and ran out with Lily close behind.


	6. Chapter 6

It was a matter of seconds before they were completely surrounded with enemies on all sides. Gajeel knew they were intent in getting the drug intoxicated girl slung over his shoulder. Shaking uncontrollably, the cloak was already threatening to slip off her delicate frame. As much as he was trying to focus on the situation, his mind kept wandering back to her.

 _ **"IRON DRAGON ROAR!"**_

He took out the first wave of enemies with no problem, but he felt his magic draining away.

"Runes. Advanced runes," Levy explained, still groggy. "Set me down."

He set her down as requested and the cloak fell away, crumpling to the floor. "I'm sure I had a pen somewhere here." Her voice laced with confusion as she patted her naked hips, trying to find a pen in a pocket that didn't exist.

Gajeel turned away not being able to control the blood rushing from his nose.

Watching the scene unfold before him, Lily took action. "Give me your shirt, Gajeel," Lily ordered. Gajeel obeyed, taking off his shirt before throwing it to Lily.

"Levy, put this on."

Levy stared at Lily. "I can't Lily, aren't those attached to you?"

"Not my wings, Levy. . ." Levy continued to stare before Lily gave up. "Arms up, Levy." This time she complied, raising her arms as Lily requested. Every one of her movements labored and mechanical as Lily slipped the shirt over her body before the second wave of attacks.

The soldier entered the area wearing fortified armor and heavy shields. Before he could launch another breath attack, Levy casted another spell.

 _ **"SOLID SCRIPT OIL!"**_

Oil doused the confused soldiers before Gajeel grabbed the Solid Script mage and ran towards the exit.

 _ **"SOLID SCRIPT FIRE!"**_

There were screams of terror when a huge fireball emerged from the entrance they just passed giving them chase. As they neared the end of the passage way, Gajeel realized that it the long narrow corridor came to a dead end.

"SHIT!"

The fire was threatening to engulf them completely and the floor and walls were hot to the touch. Lily turned into his battle form and grabbed the pair in an attempt to outrun the fire. The fire was far outpacing them. They had no choice but to run towards the end.

 _ **"SOLID SCRIPT WATER!"**_

The word 'water' began to materialize. A few droplets, at first, before it transformed into a raging stream, sweeping everything in its way. The group caught in its heavy current. A few seconds of what would have been them slamming into the wall, Levy casted another spell:

 _ **"SOLID SCRIPT HOLE!"**_

The hole revealed a section of a dirty alleyway outside the manor. Water burst forth through the hole before spewing the trio from the corridor. When the water died down, they found themselves entangled together. Neither Gajeel, Lily, nor Levy knew where one ended and the other began.

Being the smallest, Lily was the first to detangle himself. Gajeel was next to try, only to find himself propped over her. Levy's t-shirt had ridden up and her bare half inches away from an erection that decided to pop up on its own.

"Lev. Uh, hey Lev." Gajeel stuttered. He was so flustered and embarrassed. Usually, he acted first and thought later. Yet, at the moment, he cursed himself for not thinking things through and acting on impulse.

The adrenaline shook off some of the effects of the drugs and Levy was able to regain some of her awareness, remembering the forgotten question that she meant to ask earlier.

"Gajeel, what the hell? How are you even here?" she asked, forgetting her nakedness. Gajeel always had an uncanny knack for finding her and it was usually in the most obscure and strangest places. It was such a common occurrence that it was a guild joke.

Gajeel turned to answer her, but one look at her naked, perfect body in an intimate position and his face became the same was color of his eyes.

"L-Lev. Could you?" Gajeel attempted to speak again, still unable to form the words.

"Mavis sake, Gajeel! Get off of Levy," Lily spoke up. "She's drowning in your nosebleed." Embarrassed, he removed himself and turned away from her.

"Shrimp, what the hell were you thinking?" Gajeel barked over his shoulder, continuing where he had left off with his lecture. "Why were you doin' this mission alone?"

Levy folded her arms, becoming self-conscious of her mistake. "Yeah, well, hindsight is 20/20," she remarked, diverting her eyes to study the ground. It was Gajeel's turn to facepalm. "You're book smart, Levy, but, dammit, Levy. You aren't good at this."

"This guild is selling women and children into the sex trade against their will. Some of the victims are as young as five, Gajeel." She became emboldened, letting the anger she felt rise to her voice. Jabbing her finger into his chest, she continued. "This guild kills anyone who gets in their way, Gajeel, and I intend to put a stop to it. B'sides, you shouldn't have used your magic back there, GAJEEL. Not only would be liable for damages, but you could be charged for impersonating a Councilman!"

About to retort, he stopped short. "Wait! You work for the Magic Council?"

"Well…yes." She hesitated, not wanting to reveal too much. "But I can't really tell you how I was recruited or what I do because it's classified."

"I get why you were there, but shouldn't you have a partner or backup? " Lily asked. "Things got hairy back there."

"I wasn't alone," she protested. "Well...I wasn't supposed to be." Flustered, Levy scratched her head in confusion. "I had a partner. I just don't know what happened to him. You know me – I'm not careless. I- I don't know what happened back there at all."

Sopping wet, the t-shirt clung to her like second skin. She pulled the hem of her t-shirt down as she rose to her feet, faltering like a newborn fawn walking for the first time. 'Adorable!' Gajeel thought to himself.

"Any case, don't worry too much about me. I'll be okay," she mumbled as she rummaged around the alley for the communication lacrima she had stashed earlier. After a few minutes, she located the lacrima behind a dumpster and started pressing some foreign numbers. "Just calling for backup," she explained.

"What do you do for the council?" Lily asked her.

Levy pondered for a moment, knowing she wasn't supposed to disclose the mission or her job in the first place. "Hmm. Let's just say that, right now, I'm giving a voice to those who cannot speak. Besides, I can't tell you that kind of information."

Lily, not satisfied with the vagueness of her response, pressed further, "Can you explain? At all?"

She gave him a bright, mischievous grin. "Isn't it obvious, Lily? I'm the muscle!" she joked. "I don't do any research or strategy. NOPE. Not in the slightest bit." She gave him a wink and padded to the edge of the alleyway to see if she can spot some Rune Knights. Poking her head out from the corner, she gave the two an unintentional flash of her ass as she bent over.

Lily slapped his forehead. 'Before the day is through, we are all going to all drown in blood from Gajeel's nose'.

Before long, her squad showed up surrounding the entirety of the alley. The highest ranking officer saluted her. "Miss Levy, we need to secure the area and salvage the operation. Per orders." Noticing her state of undress, the Knights averted their eyes and one handed her a cloak. It seemed so practiced that both partners wondered if this was common thing for her.

Straightening up to her full height, Levy turned her heels to leave. "Please excuse me, I have orders to salvage this operation. Gajeel? Lily? See you around, okay?" The men parted to allow her through. "And one other thing, Please arrest Mr. Redfox for the attempted kidnapping of a minor. Throw in a charge for child endangerment for good measure."


	7. Chapter 7

"WHAT!"

Seconds later, he and his partner were shoved into the ground and cuffed with magic canceling runes shackles. The cobblestones felt cool on his cheek, but the iron halberd shoved in his face was delicious. His act scared a lot men into terror, having never seen an iron dragon slayer eat his own element before. Their hysteria drew a crowd to the scene. Hoping to contain the situation, they subdued him and some of the others by knocking him unconscious with a sleep spell.

A few hours later, he awoke in a cold jail cell.

'How long as it been?' Gajeel rubbed the lump on his temple, but there was no response to his question. As his eyes slowly coming into focus, he saw that he was locked up in a darkened cell. Lily nowhere to be found. There was no clock or a view outside. But judging from his internal clock, he guessed that it was probably sometime past midnight.

He was about to go back to sleep on the assumption that no one would come for him until the morning. On the verge of dozing off, he heard quickened footsteps in the hall. They briefly stopped in front of his cell before the door was knocked back to reveal a very angry Casper. His former client reached inside to grab the slayer by the back of the neck and shoved him to the overly bright hallway.

Gajeel couldn't blame the man for being angry. Not liking the rough treatment, especially when he had an excruciating headache. He fought the urge to fight back, knowing that he had compromised Shrimp's mission. He felt guild for some reason!

"Where we goin'?" Gajeel demanded. Casper immediately placed a barrier spell over his mouth before he ordered him to b e silent. Gajeel didn't protest, allowing Casper to lead them to the back towards an Interrogation room.

where he sat waiting for another half an hour. He managed to eat the metal table before starting on the metal chair. Halfway through, the door click opened and his exceed in his full form came in. Following closely behind him was someone he hadn't seen in several months, possibly years.

"Tree Gramps."

"Hello, Gajeel!" Warrod emerged from behind Lily and Casper. A good-natured smile gracing his lips. "It's Warrod, not 'Tree Gramps'. Honestly, Gajeel can't you ever call me by the correct name."

Gajeel eyes widened in recognition. Back when he was Granny Berno's ward already acquainted with Warrod back when he was Granny Berno's ward. Warrod glanced at remnants of what used to be a table and the chair and the dragon slayer casually chewing on a metal leg. From past experience from dealing with a young Gajeel, he chose to ignore it and thought it best to pick his battles. "I'm sure you are aware of Levy's position with the Council?"

Gajeel grunted, not really wanting to answer. He had deep respect for him in his own way. Still, he wanted to protest the Council's complete disregard for Levy's safety. It was bad enough that she ignored her own safety. Her recklessness made him nervous.

Often times during missions, she relied more on strategy and intelligence to keep herself out of trouble. However, if she was ambushed, like what happened today, Levy would be vulnerable. He didn't like it. Not in the slightest.

"Tree Gramps, ya need to take da Shrimp off this mission," he stated instead of a customary greeting.

Warrod looked at him in confusion. "Who is Shrimp? Why are you making this decision?"

"Levy," Lily answered for him. "I think we should assist Ms. Levy, seeing that she lacked support."

"No," Warrod refused. "Levy has enough support as it is. We have, LaCreed, Captain of the Enforcement unit overseeing the operation."

"Like last time?!" Gajeel retorted, bitterly. "When she almost got raped?" His blood beginning to boil as he wondered what would have happened to her had he not intervened. "I didn't see of smell any council or knights around when the auction took place. She needs a partner."

Casper had to agree. "As much as I hate to say it, I concur with Gajeel on this one. This was an unusual circumstance. They've gotten really sloppy or we have a mole in our midst." Casper rested his chin on his fingers in thought. "Cincuenta Sharone would have never have brought a girl out to the auction block within a day of kidnapping her. It takes weeks to indoctrinate each one."

"Which is why Gajeel and I should act as her bodyguards," Lily iterated. "Levy is close -," Lily's voice trailed off; a loud knock on the door interrupted the little meeting.

A rune knight poked his head in and Gajeel could smell the panic peeling off of him. "Excuse me, Master Warrod, may I speak to you? It's an emergency."

Casper and Warrod excused themselves, closing the door behind them. The door was a thick slab, able to block sound from the outside. Gajeel couldn't help overhear the private conversation in the hallway anyway.

"Where is her location?" he heard Casper ask.

"Master bedroom on the fifth floor," the knight answered back.

"Extricate her from the site as soon as possible, but be careful. The manor is rigged with rune traps. Also, detain LaCreed so he doesn't compromise this mission before you tell him. This is Code Orange. Please proceed accordingly." Warrod ordered.

"Yessir. But Wait. Master? The girl was raped."

"I understand, have my men…"

The force of the door opening slammed Warrod against the wall. Two shadows knocked men out of the way as it moved out of the way.

"Gajeel! Wait!" Warrod called after him, hoping to explain the mission. But the pair were already gone. He shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh.

"He was an insolent child and now he is an insolent man."


	8. Chapter 8

"The girl was raped."

The words reverberated in his ears. A confirmation of his worst fears coming true. Gajeel and Lily gunned out the door, ignoring the shouts in their direction.

"You heard?" he asked, looking over at his partner. Lily looked grim. The fur on his back bristled. He clung to Gajeel's neck, opting not to fly to conserve energy. The duo were prepared to save the bookworm and they had no time to spare.

"Yep."

They reached the auction house and flew to the roof, not taking too much time to plan. Gajeel dropped down into the attic and changed into his shadow mode. Moving cover to cover, he caught a whiff of her scent and headed towards its direction.

The team made their way through the enormous manor, managing to avoid any major confrontation. In a room off the main ballroom, he spotted LaCreed holding a knife to a rune knight's throat. Gajeel materialized into his normal form, stepping from out of the shadows to stand in LaCreed's way.

LaCreed's mouth dropped open simultaneously losing his grip on the knife and the knight he was holding. The knight scampered away upon release.

The knife clambered away and landed at Gajeel's feet. Reaching down, Gajeel picked up the knife and bit into the blade. LaCreed quivered in fear. Gajeel's reputation of the dragon slayer preceeded him and LaCreed knew he was out matched.

Now Looming over LaCreed, Gajeel used his size and the demonic grin as leverage. "You usin' yer soldiers as a human shield now? I've seen people who were smaller than you, go up against things twice their size and they never back down. Cowards like you make me sick."

Tears begun to stream down LaCreed's face at the sight of the dragon slayer covered in iron scales, eyes glowing a bright red blood.

"Y-you don't understand," LaCreed stammered in an attempt to reason with the human side of the dragon.

"My daughter…"

Before he can begin to explain, Gajeel's iron club came out of nowhere and punched him into unconsciousness.

With LaCreed decommissioned, Gajeel went back to look for the bookworm. Sniffing the area, he followed the scent towards the servant's quarters in the basement.

The area was spacious, almost cavernous. Fairy Tail's guild hall could fit within the basement with room to spare. But there was only room of interest and it was down a dimly lit hallway towards the heart of the basement.

The hallway lined with a numbered room. Her scent was faint, but he could tell that she went in that direction. As he got closer, his heartbeat became more erratic.

 _713, 714, 715_.

At 715, her scent became intense, enveloping him in a tight embrace to the point where he felt lightheaded. He felt like he was riding a thousand trains as he opened the door and slid into the pitch black room.

The sight before him left him reeling. In the center of the room was the body of a woman lying in the bed. Except for the threadbare blanket that protect her modesty, she was completely nude. Her feet were bound to stirrups, legs splayed wide open. Her arms wrapped in leather and strapped above her head. A thin burlap sack covered her head.

It can't be. Every fiber in his being wretched in disgust. It can't be her,' he reasoned, but it was her smell and there was no lying to his nose or to his senses.

He stood there in stunned silence, until Lily found the courage to speak up. "Levy! Is that you?" The partners pleaded with themselves that the figure would confirm her true identity.

The figure turned towards the direction of his voice. "Lily?"

* * *

Thank you for all your wonderful reviews, favorites, and follows!


	9. Chapter 9

"Lily?"

A head of bright blue hair sprung from the side of the bed.

"Ga-jeel?" She blinked her eyes several times in complete disbelief. "Lily?" Levy assumed that they moved on to their next job. At least, that was the impression that she got from Gajeel. "Guys, is it really you?"

Gajeel was quick to realize his mistake and he moved to conceal his blunder. "Uh...What are you doing here, Shrimp?" The man in question stood before her, a hand covering his mouth in embarrassment _._ _'This was awkward,'_ he thought, realizing that he had interrupted her work again. There was no way this time would be justifiable.

"I was breaking down the rune traps. I should be asking you the same thing. What are you doing here?" Levy said, cocking her head in confusion. "I thought you left." She stared at him, expecting an explanation. Gajeel turned his head away, thanking Mavis that the darkness hid his crimson blush, "Just, uh, happened to be here," hoping she'd buy the lame excuse.

He thought wrong.

She gave him a look of utter disgust that had taken him aback. "I didn't think you would be the kind of person who would patronize this type of establishment, but if you're here for her services…"

Horrified and embarrassed, he threw up his hands in surrender before Lily protested on his behalf.

"No, Levy!" Lily exclaimed, cutting into the conversation. "We were concerned. We were at headquarters when we heard that you were detained and possibly raped."

Levy thought for a brief second, her face brightened in understanding. "OOHHH! NOOO! Not me! Captain LaCreed's daughter," motioning to the helpless figure lying in bed.

"LaCreed's daughter?" Lily exclaimed. "We just saw LaCreed upstairs. He had a knife to that Council guy's throat."

Her face lit up at the news. "Oh! So he did find the mole."

"The mole?!" They exclaimed together.

 _'These two are beginning to turn into Jet and Droy,'_ she mused to herself. "Yeah, you don't know how long it took for me to find them."

Lily opened his mouth to explain, but he shut up when he saw Gajeel stared daggers at his direction. He knew that Gajeel would tell her later. _If he told her_.

"Well yeah, I'm here to dispel the rune traps. Captain LaCreed is my support," turning back to her work as she made a few flicks of her wrists to dissolve the trap. "I'll explain later. Right now, let me do my work."

She quickly dismantled the shackles and helped the girl into a sitting position. The duo was still gaping at her. "Can you turn around?" she asked. The two turned around and left the room. The day was a constant stream of one embarrassing event right after the other.

A few minutes later, the girl was decently dressed and supported by Levy because her legs had atrophied from being confined to the bed for the past couple weeks.

"This is Constance LaCreed," introducing her to the team. Constance didn't reply, her pupils were fully dilated, practically catatonic. The sight of her made Lily uncomfortable, forcing himself to introduce himself to relieve the tension. Continuing forward, Gajeel raised his hand to signal the group for silence.

Levy only dismantled enough of the runes to free Constance. The remainder of which dulled some of his dragon senses.

"Gajeel, we have to remove her without alerting the others," she whispered. He could sense at least ten soldiers within close proximity. No doubt preparing to ambush them.

He gave her his toothiest, shit eating grin, happy that he could finally be of some use.

"Let's do this."


	10. Chapter 10

Shattered screams broke through the stillness of the early morning. Before, pained screams thrilled him. But these were not his Phantom Lord days and the screams unnerved him.

Regardless, the party urged forward. Through the basement and to the den area, where they revived an unconscious LaCreed. Understandably upset, a bruise forming in the shape of a circle on LaCreed's temple. This was definitely the work of Gajeel's club. Levy threw a glare at Gajeel's direction and he gave an apologetic shrugged.

It was already dawn, sunlight filtering through the gossamer curtains. Levy stopped everyone for a moment, adjusting the young woman at her side to prepare for the onslaught.

"We're going to get ambushed." she declared, stating the thought on everyone's mind. Members in the party nodded in agreement. It was obvious that they were being herded to a central point, probably the Grand ballroom.

"I guess there's nothing we can do but fight," LaCreed sighed in dismay. "Why don't we try going back the other way," he suggested.

LaCreed took three steps before he crashed into a wall of runes. A non-confrontational escape was futile, but he had to try anyway.

Before they had a chance to come up with a strategy, a group of soldiers surrounded them. The group of ten soldiers were strong and took a little longer than normal to defeat.

Levy noticed that the soldier attacked from a long range stance as the fight progressed. She half expected it, the runes acted as an enclosure of sorts. Of the ten, only three dared to fight in close combat.

Levy examined the runes. The structure was crude, amateur at best. She thought for a moment.

' _Could it be that simple?'_

Thinking back, the runes in Constance's rooms were simple and layered one on top the other to add complexity. The composition was sloppy, poorly written, and definitely the same author.

"W-What are you doing?" Gajeel stammered.

"What does it look like? I'm taking off his clothes," she said as if she stated the most obvious thing in all Earthland.

Flustered, he turned around to give them privacy. He worked with her before, figuring she found a solution to the rune trap. He didn't know all the details, but guessed that the parameters involved clothing.

She passed each article of clothing past the barrier. First she tried the socks and the shirt next. Then, the pants and socks. In desperation, she took off the man's boxers. Gingerly holding the underwear between her index finger and thumb, she tested the barrier. Despite her efforts, the barrier remained intact.

"What am I missing?!" Levy screamed in frustration before tossing a discarded jacket over the soldier's body. Her eye caught a guild emblem displayed on the man's back.

She took off her Council standard issue trench coat. Levy flipped him over and made a copy of the emblem with her magic and placed it on her forearm. Holding her breath, she moved her arms towards the runes. It failed but the runes expanded out before it corrected itself and denied passage.

"It's no use, Shrimp!" Gajeel growled. LaCreed and Lily looked defeated. Both had the most utmost faith in her abilities, but they've begun to look for alternatives.

Levy was not one to give up. Not until they've exhausted all others options. She lifted her shirt and placed the emblem in the same position as the man had on his back. Once again, she moved towards the runes. This time it worked allowing her to pass through completely.

Giddy with excitement, her eyes shining bright, she gave out an order. "Everyone pull up your shirt!"

* * *

"There you go. All finished."

Levy patted the makeshift emblem down on Lily's back, moving onto the last person.

"Hurry Shrimp. I hear 'em coming." Time was running out. Gajeel had insisted that he received the emblem last, because he was the strongest member.

Three quarters of the way finished, the attack began and the enemies accosted them. "Too late, Shrimp, they're here."

"Captain LaCreed, get you and your daughter to safety!" Unsure, Captain LaCreed looked torn between fighting and protecting his daughter. "Go! Captain we got this!" Levy yelled over her shoulder.

LaCreed relented, handing Levy his badge before he stumbled out of the way with his daughter in tow. He struggled to preserve his daughter's modesty. "McGarden! You're the ranking officer!" LaCreed shouted. Levy nodded in acknowledgement, keeping her focus on combat.

"SOLID SCRIPT: GUARD!"

Levy casted her spell in time to shield the retreating LaCreeds as they narrowly missed the deluge of arrows and throwing knives. She was unable to completely shield herself and a knife lodged itself into her ribcage.

Meanwhile, Lily hid behind Gajeel and his iron scales avoiding the attack altogether. But transforming into iron scale deactivated the temporary guild emblem. Gajeel was stuck in the runes.

"Change of plans, Shrimp," Gajeel called over his shoulder. "Lily! Fight long range. Shrimp, you're with me."

Studying the fight with the eyes of a seasoned warrior, Gajeel recognized that a disparity exists among the mages. The mages were either really strong or weak. The weaker group fought separately from the stronger group. If the weaker group provided support, they stood a better chance against him.

That wasn't his problem. "IRON DRAGON'S HARD FIST!"

Gajeel managed to pummel three of the weaker mages and a small fraction of the non-wizard foot soldiers. The attack drew the attention of the stronger mages, now fully recognizing him as the iron dragon slayer.

The mages were a lot more powerful than they had anticipated. Each wave of soldiers more powerful than the last. As the battle progressed, Levy noticed that each mage looked alike. They wore the same uniforms and the helmets covered their faces, but she could tell that magic was in play.

"Gajeel! I think we have a mage using replication magic!" She yelled over the fray.

'SHIT!' Gajeel grimaced. 'Why didn't I notice this before?' Internally berating himself.

"It's those runes from earlier," she explained, seemingly reading his mind. The runes were a big nuisance and hindered his dragon slayer senses.

"Do you know which mage, shorty?"

Levy dropped the word "iron" on the incoming enemy. "I can find out in a second."

"SOLID SCRIPT: shockwave formation - discover."

The word "discover" manifested itself before dissolving into a beam of light that scanned the entire room. He didn't recognize this spell. Gajeel looked to Levy for an explanation but held back, watching her face mired in concentration. Her arms raised above her head as she felt the air for feedback.

A powerful surge of a given energy surged through the air, cutting through the dust and fray. "35 non-mage, 10 wizards," she reported, eyes still closed. "There's a mage with lightening magic. Watch out."

Opening her eyes. She spotted the mage in question. "There. She pointed. Two clicks at 10 O'clock and the rune mage has been dispatched. We can move."

"GIHI. Let's go!" He swung her onto his back and turned his arm into a grappling hook to swing them towards Lily on the upper floor. Once there, Levy dropped her to her feet while Gajeel swung to the ceiling.

"Lily! Shrimp! Go towards the copy wizard."

They both obeyed. Working together, they were able to distract the mage, not before the mage called for reinforcement. The lightening wizard was the one to respond.

A bolt of electric current struck the ground a few feet from levy, fortunate that she was able to dodge it at the last half second. Frightened, Lily reverted into his small form and cowered near a pile of dispatched enemies. Levy saw the lightening mage gear up for another attack and more enemies approach.

Thinking on her feet, she snatched Lily into arms. The horde was looming closer and the air thick with static electricity made the Exceed's fur stand on its ends. Crossing her fingers on her timing, she casted the word "iron" several times in front of her.

The enemy neared, the lightning mage aimed a deadly blow towards her. But the lightening redirected, striking her words and the enemies. The soldiers flew several feet in the air before they landed, smoke emanating from their still forms.

Undeterred, the lightening mage re-focused his attack on Gajeel. The air once more prickled with kinetic energy. Distracted, Gajeel was engaged in combat with the replication mage. The wizard took the opportunity to position himself behind Gajeel to attack.

"Gajeel! Behind you!" she screamed in warning. Either Gajeel didn't hear her or heed her warning.

"SOLID SCRIPT: RUBBER!"

Thick bands of rubber encased Gajeel's body as lightening simultaneously struck him. The rubber rendered him immobile while protecting him.

He turned his arms into blade to cut himself out. "Thanks, shorty! But we really got to work on communication!" He grinned.

"I DID!" She screamed in exasperation, turning her attention to the replication mage.

"SOLID SCRIPT: CAGE!" The magic trapped replication mage and Levy added a magic limiter to null the replicator's magic.

"IRON DRAGON: RESTRAINT!"

She glanced over to Gajeel as he restrained the lightening wizard in iron handcuffs. Turning, she added a limiter to the iron bands to nullify the lightening magic.

Once completed, Gajeel looked over to the rest of his team to check their status. The shrimp had her back turned to him, but he can tell that she was visibly injured. She shook as she clutched Lily. Coming closer, he saw a knife jutting out from Levy's side.

"SHRIMP!" Worried, he knelt down to grab Lily from her arms.

Before he could check her wounds, the sound of rushing feet echoed into the room. Gajeel straightened up, expecting more enemies. Much to his relief, a group of rune knights hurried into the room.

"Captain!" The ranking officer called. He stood in front Levy at attention and gave her a salute. "Your orders."

The knife in her ribs made it hard for her to breathe, let alone speak. "Arrest everyone," she whispered.

The officer leaned in closer, unable to hear her orders. "I could not hear ma'am. Can you please tell me again, Captain?"

"ARREST EVERYONE!" Gajeel repeated, filling in for the injured Levy.

"Aye, Captain!" The soldiers carried out his orders.

'CAPTAIN.' The title tingled down his spine. Gajeel liked the sound of that title.

'CAPTAIN GAJEEL REDFOX.' It sounded respectable. 'Yeah!'

"ARREST EVERYBODY!" Gajeel ordered again as the knights scrambled in different directions.

"Aye, Captain!" All around him, the knights acknowledged him. Before, he was usually on the receiving end of authority. For now, he would relish on being on this side of authority. Especially relishing the respect and the prestige part that came along with the position. Albeit, misdirected respect.

"Captain! What do we do with the unconscious ones?" A newbie stood in front Levy to address her while he dragged an unconscious soldier by the arms.

Levy struggled to speak, so Gajeel took it upon himself to respond for her. He already thought the knight was addressing him not her. The newbie was confused on who to obey. Captain Levy was the ranking officer, but a civilian was giving out orders. The newbie chalked it up to Levy's injuries, reasoning that Levy was using the dragon slayer as a proxy.

Gajeel chimed in, "ARREST HIM!"

"GIHIHI! ARREST HIM!" He pointed to the lightening mage.

"NEXT, ARREST HIM!" He pointed to the subdued replication mage. "GIHIHIHI! YOU ARE ALL UNDER ARREST!"

"He's enjoying this way too much," Lily cringed, transforming into his large form to carry Levy.

"Should I tell him that I'm the ranking officer and that the soldiers are following my orders?" Levy asked, as they both gawked at Gajeel. His head thrown back and his maniacal laugh nearly drowning out the chaos. "GIHIHIHI!" Gajeel roared, clearly enjoying himself while he directed the knights.

"It wouldn't matter." Lily face palmed.

"It wouldn't matter AT ALL."

Still, they both had to admit that Gajeel had talent, fitting into the role of captain with precision and ease. There was no way either of them would ever admit that out loud.


	11. Chapter 11

Levy settled back into fluffy cushions on her hospital bed. Her body ached from exertion during physical therapy, but she savored each moment not spent confined to the gurney. Only two days left of her two weeklong doctor mandated bedrest although she hardly rested.

Levy tried not to think about her aching body, choosing instead to focus on her growing mountain of paperwork and research. Shifting through that mountain left on her hospital tray, her eye caught sight of a large new personnel file folder. The one labeled "Confidential: Candidates." Its contents made up of the profiles and resumes of two hundred applicants to head the Enforcement Division.

Captain LaCreed vacated his position as soon as the mission ended, a week sooner than anticipated. His decision surprised no one, but it left the Council scrambling for a suitable replacement. Levy was their top choice to fill the position. She was the first woman in ten years and the second person in the history of the council to receive a perfect score on both the written and magical portions of the entrance exam. On top of her s-class level magic, Levy had the admiration and respect of her peers. Her popularity extended beyond the Council's reach, already on track to become the spokeswoman for the Council. The Board members were thrilled. They need a spokesperson to fill the growing rift between wizards and non-wizards and to gain public support.

Levy declined the job.

On paper, Levy would agree that she was the perfect candidate. Yet, Levy knew that she lacked the physicality to command a fleet of guards. Besides, she preferred to stay within the means of her specialty: research and infiltration.

Still, Levy kicked herself for volunteering to filter through a long list of potential applicants. Had she known that volunteering meant being constantly inundated with paperwork, she would have declined ten times over. Now she was stuck wading through the pool of hopefuls.

Highlighter in hand, Levy leafed through resume after resume. First, she tossed out the resume of any applicant that had scored less than 85% on their entrance exam. Doing so, whittled the stack to 25%. Next, she discarded applicants with less than five years of leadership experience and further pared down the stack to 10%.

She finished filtering the stack using a set of criteria until it was down to fifty-three resumes. Today was a good day, whereas a bad day would generate anywhere from one to two hundred applicants.

Placing the papers back into a folder, Levy took her glasses off and gently hopped off her bed to stretch. She hoped that the Council would find someone for the position soon simply for the reason that she was tired of paperwork. Levy would much rather get back to her books.

Attempting to stretch her arms over her head, she felt a sharp pain where her wound was located. Levy fell to her knees, lying prostrate to the ground in pain. She took deep intakes of breath to calm her pain, but her anxiety was getting worse.

"You okay, shorty?" Large, calloused fingers rubbed circles between her shoulder blades. Her breath returned to normal before she responded, looking up at him with her beautiful hazel eyes. He stared back at her with equal tenderness.

"Hi Gajeel. Hi Lily. I'm fine." She gave him them her warmest smile.

"Levy, we brought dinner." Lily grinned and held up two bags of food.

They've developed a routine for the past week and a half. During the day, the partners would take contract work from the Council courtesy of Levy and come back to her bedside at night. Gajeel and Lily would bring dinner and stayed until visiting hours were over. Rinse. Repeat.

It was like time had not passed between them. They've gotten closer as friends and they loved to eat together and enjoy each other's company. Usually, they discussed their day and teased each other, but today the trio sat in somber silence. They knew that tonight was their last.

"You're quitting now, ya?" Gajeel asked. Levy frowned, unsure if he was asking her a question or giving her a suggestion. Knowing Gajeel, it was probably both. She decided to act as if he had told her a joke.

"Quit? No!" She mumbled between bites of chicken. "That's funny, Gajeel," she replied, managing a half-smile at his attempt at humor. "I know that the past few weeks were eventful for the both of you, but around here we call that a Tuesday," she joked.

"S'not a joke, shorty." Gajeel stood up and turned to face the window. "I can't watch keep watchin' over you so you gotta quit."

The frown on her face returned, realizing that he was dead serious. "You do understand that this is my job, right?" Her eyes cast downwards. "I can't leave, Gajeel, I took an oath and abandoning my post is a punishable offense. I could get sent to jail for this. Besides, I'm needed here."

Lily stood up and placed his paw on her knee to comfort her. She gathered the exceed into her arms and buried her face into his warm fur.

"Why do you care about some cause?" He turned around to look at her and Levy swore that she could detect the minute amount of hurt in his voice. "They're all the same to me. When they're done with you, they just leave. They don't even say goodbye."

Her mind raced at closest thing to an admission from Gajeel. 'Was he really that hurt that she left?' Irony considering that he avoided her after their return from Tartaros. Gajeel wasn't among the crowd to see her off to her new endeavor. It left a bad taste in her mouth at the time, but it lent credence to her decision to join the council.

A knock at her door interrupted their painful conversation.

"Master Warrod!" Levy smiled. "Please come in."

Smiling at her acknowledgement, Master Warrod squeezed into the small room. "Hello Gajeel," he greeted before nodding to the exceed in Levy's arms.

"I'm here to collect a stool sample for personal purposes," Master Warrod deadpanned.

Everyone in the room inwardly cringed.

"Just kidding! I am here to apologize for my delay in congratulating you on a job well done, Councilwoman."

Warrod's tasteless jokes were either about bodily functions or lies to cover half-truths. She hated his jokes, but for once, she would use them as leverage. Levy hoped Gajeel would catch on to her ruse.

Levy started to segue the conversation towards employment. "Thank you, Master, for the kind words. I called Gajeel and Lily down here to thank them for their service. They have taken a lot of jobs from the Council. Especially the harder ones," she began.

With Master Warrod's back turned her, Levy winked at Gajeel and Lily. It took a second for Gajeel to fully understand her intent. Playing along, Gajeel sat up straight. "Ya. Me and Lily take a lot of security work, too."

"They helped round up the bandits in the Eastern Forest, Master." Levy gave him her most innocent smile. "Even Master Jura had stopped by to thank him." she said.

Levy pressed her palms over her heart. "Gajeel, Lily. Master Warrod and I would like to thank you on behalf of the Council." Master Warrod followed her lead, clasping Gajeel on the shoulder. "Well done, my boy. The Council is indebted to both your efforts."

Levy nodded and smile. "Especially for taking seven jobs in the past two weeks. Without your help, the Council has had more time to focus our resources."

Warrod smiled in surprised. "Really?! It's like you practically work for the Council."

At his utterance, Levy saw her opening. "There is that opening for a new captain in the Enforcement Division. That's a perfect position for you and Lily, Gajeel," Levy said slyly, laughing as if she were telling a joke.

Master Warrod agreed, laughing heartily at what he thought was a joke. "You should take the position, Gajeel." Chortling, Master Warrod was soon grabbing his sides from laughing so hard.

Gajeel made his move. "I ACCEPT!"

"YOU WILL?" Levy asked in mocked surprised. "OH, PERFECT!" she exclaimed. "I'll begin the paperwork in the morning. Training will take two weeks. I'll make living arrangements and sign you up for orientation."

Master Warrod stopped laughing, his jaw hit the floor. "WHAT! I'M J-JOKING!" he sputtered. "I WOULD NEVER AGREE TO THIS!"

Levy stopped abruptly, feigning confusion. Her expression remained calm, looking to seal the deal over Gajeel's hiring. "I thought we were in agreement, Master. I think Gajeel and Lily would be perfect additions to the team. Such a brilliant idea, Master Warrod!" she praised.

Gajeel enjoyed watching her negotiate and steamroll Master Warrod into letting him into the Council. . He wanted to release the smug smirk whenever shorty displayed her high level of intelligence. For now, He kept his features neutral and stoic, not wanting to risk Levy's chances.

"Yes, but…Er…Why don't you take the job, Levy? Warrod tried to steer the conversation away from hiring Gajeel.

"I'm flattered, Master, but my intelligence is my strength. Our soldiers need someone with a strong presence. Gajeel and Lily is an excellent choice. Plus, Gajeel is a dragon slayer!" she reasoned. "Besides Master, Pantherlily has previous experience as First Division Commander of the Royal Army during his time in Edolas."

"Him? He's so small," Warrod refuted. Pantherlily transformed into his full height and puffed his chest out in pride. "I am a formidable opponent," Lily huffed, "With years of military service."

"B-but Gajeel is a delinquent," Warrod stammered.

"Former delinquent." Levy corrected. "Gajeel has made amends and paid reparations. Otherwise, he wouldn't be in good standing with Fairy Tail," she countered, observing Master Warrod's receptiveness. She had him eating out of the palm of her hand.

Continuing, Levy paused briefly for dramatic effect, going in for the close. "Master, Gajeel and Lily are well-qualified and you know it."

Warrod had no rebuttal, she was convincing. "And the entrance exam…"

"Gajeel and Lily will have no trouble passing the exams under my tutelage. I did get perfect scores in all fifteen areas," she interjected.

Finally, Master Warrod relented despite his reluctance to agree. "You're both hired" he muttered under his breath in defeat.

Flashing her award-winning smile, she directed her attention back over to Gajeel and Lily. "Like we said - Welcome to the team and congratulations to you both! Come by my office at Headquarters tomorrow morning and I'll guide you through the process." She shook both their hands and motioned everyone towards the door. Visiting hours were over.

"See you tomorrow, Shrimp!" Gajeel and Lily strode out the door. "Good night, Master Warrod, and thank you." Lily added.

Master Warrod stayed behind, still in shock and disbelief. Levy let him stay in the room a little longer, giving Gajeel and Lily a good head start in case Warrod came to his senses and changed his mind.

"What just happened?!" Exasperated, he fell to the ground onto his hands and knees. "I was joking!" When he walked into Levy's hospital room, he was not expecting to extend a job offer to an incorrigible dragon slayer and his exeed.

To add further insult, Warrod couldn't defend himself against Levy's argument. She was right on all points, convinced that Gajeel would make an excellent Councilman. He thought things through more thoroughly and realized that Levy had played him like a fiddle.

Warrod sighed and shook his head. ' _This is why I never married_.'

* * *

It was Levy that greeted the pair the next morning. The duo was ecstatic, so Gajeel and Lily made sure to show up extra early.

"Welcome, guys!" Levy moved a little slow this morning, but her smile was bright as ever. Gajeel smiled and pulled her into an uncharacteristic hug.

"Shorty! You are amazing!" He muffled into her hair, taking in her wonderful scent of books and ink.

Levy hugged him back. "I know, Stupid Gajeel. I know."

* * *

 **A/N: ANND DONE! Thank you, wonderful readers, for your reviews and your follows and for sticking with the story despite the sucky title and summary. Your support was enough encouragement.**


End file.
